#7 Shades of Gray- Day of the Twilight- Patient Zero

By Kristie Lynn Higgins

The Shades Of Gray Series follows the adventures of Kat, a woman with no memory of her past who is called the Pandora Project by those who hunt her, and Kim, a woman leading the life of a legal assassin called a Life Closer. The world they live in is plagued by clouds that prevent the sun from shining down on the land called Dry Clouds, making all who live in Noir forced to live in endless night.

Kat searches for clues to her past while androids called Un-Men and human bounty hunters try to kill her, and Kim searches for who murdered her mother. The two women's paths collide, and they form a shaky partnership to unravel the mysteries that haunt their lives and they try to protect one another from those who do not wish for them to discover the truth.

Everyone's soul is marked by a color. Which shade of gray will they hold to?

#7 Shades of Gray: Day Of The Twilight- Patient Zero:

Death around every corner...
Hope a fleeting dream...

Those who survived the initial Chimera Strain Outbreak make it to the Main Lobby.

Hundreds infected...
No cure...

Anubis increases his army of undead and prepares to move on the forces on Level 370. Will anyone be able to stop him? Or is the world doomed to the Twilight?

**Shades of Gray Series**

(STARTING POINT QUADRILOGY)
#1 Shades of Gray: Noir, City Shrouded By Darkness
#2 Shades of Gray: From Moscow, With Love
#3 Shades of Gray: Cerberus Versus Pandora
#4 Shades of Gray: Sisters

(ZOMBIE TWILIGHT QUADRILOGY)
#5 Shades of Gray: Night Of The Twilight- The Chimera Strain
#6 Shades of Gray: Dawn Of The Twilight- Outbreak
#7 Shades of Gray: Day Of The Twilight- Patient Zero
#8 Shades of Gray: Land Of The Twilight- Closing of Days

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kristie Lynn Higgins
• Release date: Dec 20, 2011
• ISBN: 9781465830180

Kristie Lynn Higgins

You can also check out my author page on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/author/kristielynnhiggins

Book preview

Prologue

An Outbreak known as the Chimera Strain had spread through the Sphinx Corporation Third Branch Office like wildfire. The building was in the middle of a countdown by the Central Computer, giving those uninfected time to escape before an Integral Quarantine Seal was set in place. Those infected turned into walking dead known as xombions who for the most part were controlled by Anubis, the Jackal of Death. He wanted to bring destruction to the people who hurt him and bring about a mysterious end known as the Twilight.

Kimberly Griffin escaped with Jane Speer, her secretary Amy, and a group of BK-Ms. They left behind Kat who was infected with the super-virus. Kim's father, the Chairman also escaped.

Outside the Third Branch Office, biohazard stations were set up by Orthos to contain the Chimera Strain, so it wouldn't spread through the Mega-city of Noir. The Head of Security continued with his coup.

Chapter One

Day of the Twilight

The year 32 A.D.C.

October 32...

UnDay...

4:27 A.M...

Hellenistic Sector, Business Vicinage...

Sphinx Corporation Third Branch Office...

Outside the main building...

Fall back! a S.C.M. shouted as he opened fire on a crowd of people with his FN SCAR. Blasts from the assault rifle lit up the lieutenant's terrified face in the darkness of the early morning as he and two other soldiers wearing jet-black uniforms backed up across Transgenic Grass. He yelled to his men, Don't let them breach the quadrant!

Frightened workers screamed and ran away as a Pod of twelve Common Xombions lumbered toward anyone uninfected. Dry Clouds rumbled overhead, but the emergency lighting set up on the grounds in front of the Mega-building obscured the view of the massive Harbinger plaguing Noir. The xombions lamented as bloody drool ran out of their mouths, and they continued toward the pre-hosts.

Protect those uninfected! the lieutenant ordered as he aimed at a few of the infected and fired.

Tat-tat-tat. Tat-tat-tat. The xombions turned and the whole Pod started toward the S.C.Ms. as a gentle breeze swept through the area, rustling the blades of the modified Kentucky Bluegrass. The Transgenic Plant had been spliced with the extra-genome of a Spongia equina or the bath sponge, giving the grass the ability to absorb Tainted Rain. It had not rained the last few days in the Business Vicinage, so the grass was dry. Otherwise the oily residue left by the rain might have caused the S.C.Ms. to lose their footing on the slick grass.

Aim for their heads, the lieutenant ordered. He took down a female lab tech with one shot, splattering brain matter across the face of a male secretary who was trudging behind her.

The Pod walked at a snail's stride, advancing on the three S.C.Ms., and the four xombions in the front were nearly on top of the S.C.Ms. The other eight at their slow pace were over three minutes away. One of the S.C.Ms. tripped on a grouping of cables, allowing the four xombions to attack him. A sentry bit the S.C.M.'s right hand, taking off a chunk; and the S.C.M. screamed, removed his side arm with his left hand, and shot the infected sentry in the face. The xombion's head lurched back and red death liquid sprayed the S.C.M. as the bullet impact took off the sentry's nose. Blood poured from the gaping wound onto the S.C.M. as the sentry continued his frenzied assault.

The lieutenant turned to his downed man as he and the third S.C.M. opened up on the xombions attacking their comrade. They killed the four xombions, and then the third S.C.M. grabbed the downed man by his armored vest as the lieutenant turned on the rest of the Pod. The third S.C.M. dragged his comrade to safety as the lieutenant touched his earpiece and reported, This is Lieutenant Gibbs. We have a breach in the North-west Quadrant near the Confinement Cells. We need backup! There are about a dozen xombions. Send reinforcements! We won't hold!

The eight xombions continued forward, heeding the Chimera Strain's call to infect. One of the xombions in the very back and out of sight of the S.C.Ms. screamed and stopped her progression as a second mutation took place in her body. She dropped to her knees, reached one hand toward the heavens, and shrieked in pain as her body expanded like a balloon. Her body swelled three times its normal mass and shredded her clothing. The dress top, shirt, and undergarments fell off, revealing her bloating form as her skin became smooth, clammy, and hairless. The skin also changed from a dark brown to pale-white with dark blueish-red patterns on her back. Her hair fell off in clumps as her eyes enlarged and moved to the top of her head. The white orbs became as large as small watermelons and her mouth expanded to a third of her body size. She, no, it lost any outward appearance to her gender as her form took on the characteristics of a giant fire-belly toad. The Frogga-mutation croaked as large fox bat like ears appeared on the side of the creature's head. It heard its master's call, to be fruitful and infect, and it would obey that command with undying devotion.

A S.C.M. Unit showed up, and the ten soldiers rushed over to Lieutenant Gibbs and stood with him and the third S.C.M. as the Unit's Medic rushed to the downed man. Excited more pre-host showed up, the Pod moaned as they slowly decreased the distance between them and the pre-hosts.

One of the S.C.Ms. introduced himself, I'm Lieutenant Kovers.

I'm Gibbs, and it's about time you showed up. We couldn't hold them much longer on our own.

The medic turned from the injured man and stated, Kovers, he's dead.

Hades! Gibbs cursed. I lost another.

Take them out! Kovers ordered his Unit, shot an infected male lab tech leading the Pod, and then questioned Gibbs, What happened?

I'm not sure, Gibbs replied. When we arrived we found the S.C.Ms. who had been escorting a group of people to the Confinement Cells were dead and three xombions were attacking anyone they could catch. Gibbs removed an empty magazine from his assault rifle and continued, Those three became a dozen. They're turning faster or the incubation period is shorter than the high-ups told us. He inserted a new magazine and spoke, I lost two of my men in the first engagement.

Puck! the medic uttered, then quickly stood, and backed away from the downed man. He's turning!

Lightning shaped scars bolted up the downed man's arm and across his face. Blood ruptured and filled the whites of his eyes as his irises went black as a closed coffin.

Hades! Gibbs shouted, hurried over to his man, looked down at him, and said, I'm sorry. You were a good soldier. He lifted his FN SCAR and shot him in the head.

Puck! the medic yelled. That was harsh!

Harsh, yes, but once they turn there's no helping them. A bullet to the head is the most merciful thing you can do for them, Gibbs told the medic, then turned, and fired on the Pod that had five members remaining.

Near the Confinement Cells, the Frogga-mutation scanned the area with its huge frog-like eyes and noted the twelve pre-hosts. The S.C.Ms. had not noticed it yet, so the Frogga-mutation hopped around the cells before it was noticed and flanked the S.C.Ms.; and once it was close enough for its ten foot appendage to reach them, it extended its tongue and struck one of the soldiers in the neck with its six inch stinger. As quickly as it had struck, the Frogga-mutation retracted its appendage; and the man went down screaming, holding his neck as blood spurted. It struck again, hitting another S.C.M. in the arm as he turned to fire on it, and the S.C.M. grunted for the pain and shot.

What is that?! Kovers questioned, motioning toward the hybrid-xombion on the other side of the unit.

A mutation of the mutation, Gibbs answered. Watch out for its tongue! he warned everyone. It can infect you with it.

The Frogga-mutation leaped about, evading the soldiers' attempts to shoot it in the head. Bullet wounds littered its pale body as purple blood flowed. The Frogga-mutation struck three more times, infecting more of the unit, but it wasn't enough. The Chimera Strain urged it to infect more.

Focus your fire on the hybrid! Gibbs ordered as the remaining seven S.C.Ms. fired on the Frogga-mutation. The pucking thing kept hopping about and he never had a clear shot.

The Frogga-mutation infected one more S.C.M. before Kovers took it out. Less than two minutes away, the Pod continued their malfunctioning robot plod as Kovers ordered, Those of you the hybrid hit I want you to quickly come here, and I want you to lay all your weapons there. He motioned to the ground and then he commanded, I want you to go into the Confinement Cells.

You've got to be pucking kidding me! the S.C.M. with the injured arm shouted. His face looked clammy as he stated, I'm not handing over my weapon, and I'm not...

Kovers lifted his FN SCAR and shot the man in the head. The S.C.M. fell back dead as everyone jumped, not expecting the lieutenant's harsh and swift reaction, and then Kovers yelled, All of you listen! When I give you an order, obey! The other infected men glared at him, but they laid their weapons on the ground and went into a Confinement Cell, then Kovers ordered his medic and two other S.C.Ms., Cover our men; and once they turn, take them out.

What?! the medic uttered and then insisted, I can't do that. They're our men, and they're in the cells, so we don't need to kill them.

You! Kovers yelled as he motioned to a different S.C.M. and then Kovers commanded, I want you to cover the Medic's man; and once he turns, take him out.

Yes, sir, the female S.C.M. replied and then rushed over to the cells.

Gibbs walked over to the other lieutenant, leaned to him, and said in a hushed tone, The Medic's right. Our orders are to take them to the cells; and once we have them there, we're to leave them alone. We don't have extermination orders. We are only wasting our ammunition.

We don't have orders yet you mean, Kovers said and then turned to the last of the Pod and opened fire.

Gibbs removed a grenade and said, I'll lead them away from the Confinement Cells, and then I'll blow them up. He ran close to the xombions, drawing the Pod toward him; and once he and the Pod were far enough away, he pulled the pin to the grenade, and tossed it in the middle of the xombions. Gibbs ducked and covered before the grenade went off, knocking the Pod down. He stood, wiped grass from his pants, and heard several shots, so he hurried back to the Confinement Cells, finding they had killed the infected S.C.Ms. against his advice, and he muttered, Hades... such a waste.

Kovers walked over to him, looked over the carnage, and spoke, This is a real mess. I need replacements for almost half of my unit.

Gibbs tapped his earpiece and reported, North-west Quadrant secured. Part of the group going to the Confinement Cells ran when the fire-fight started. They need to be found. Yes, understood. We will hold this position until a replacement unit can be sent. Gibbs got off the radio and addressed the other lieutenant, You're right, this is a mess. I'm going to write up a report and in it I'm going to suggest that they walk those going to the Confinement Cells in no more than groups of three and with at least five S.C.Ms. escorting them. I know they're trying to hurry but that cost us several soldiers. He removed his H.H.C. and started typing.

You're going to write a report, huh. Like that will do any good. Kovers then mumbled, Like the high-ups have time to look at a report. He removed a piece of candy from his vest pocket and put it in his mouth.

The Pod Gibbs had blown to bits started to rise, at least most of them did. A few of them had their legs blown off, and they dragged their corpses across the grass with their hands. The Pod who were charred and burned started toward the S.C.Ms. as a soldier yelled, They aren't dead!

Gibbs looked up from his H.H.C. and yelled, Hades! How hard is it to kill those things?

The one soldier pointed and yelled again, We've got other problems! He pointed at more xombions as they walked around the tents and started toward the S.C.Ms. The workers who had run off during the fire-fight carried the Chimera Strain; and once they turned, they infected anyone around them, doctors, nurses, and S.C.Ms. The handful of people who had ran off had turned into twenty-two Common Xombions, and many of the infected wore bio-hazard suits.

Puck! Kovers shouted and then ordered, We need to fall back!

Where to?! Gibbs questioned as he looked beyond the North-west Quadrant to the S.C.Ms. set up on the perimeter of the Third Branch Office. The orders are to shoot and kill anyone attempting to leave the perimeter, and that includes us! We need to hold this line. Our lives depend on it! He tapped his earpiece as the other S.C.Ms. opened up on the Pod, and he said, This is Lieutenant Gibbs. A larger Pod of about twenty xombions has invaded the North-west Quadrant. There are too many. We need reinforcements!

I'm out of ammo! one of the S.C.Ms. shouted.

From the opposite direction, ten more xombions appeared as the hodgepodge of undead closed in on the pre-hosts. The xombions could smell the blood of the uninfected and craved it with an unconquerable hunger. A S.C.M. threw the other a magazine for his assault rifle, and then the seven uninfected fired at the closing walls of xombions. They had no place to go and no hope of surviving.

Behind the Pod, a Latino man in his thirties climbed on top of some crates stacked near a tent and questioned, Did someone call for reinforcements?

Yes! Gibbs yelled, smacking a xombion in the head with his rifle butt and then he shouted, Help us!

My name is Captain Creed, and you need to be flat on the ground in five seconds and stay there.

What?! Gibbs uttered as he kicked back a different xombion and then shot it in the head.

Captain Creed turned, motioned with his hand, and ordered, Take out those standing!

Five Proto-Androids marched across the grass in unison. These humanoid bio-mechas were all metal and only slightly resembled a man unlike the next generation humanoid bio-mechas called the Un-Men. The Proto-Androids were big, bulky, and stood seven foot tall. They lined up and aimed.

Puck! Down! Gibbs ordered as he dropped to his face and covered his head. Everyone get down!

The xombions reached to grab him as the remaining S.C.Ms. dropped a split-second before the Proto-Androids opened up on the crowd. They fired from a mounted automatic gun inside each forearm and didn't stop until no one was standing.

Cease fire! Captain Creed ordered as a few of his own S.C.Ms. gathered behind him.

The Proto-Androids lifted their Forearm Guns, and the weapons retracted back into a metal casing. Two dozen Furies who were an elite group of S.C.Ms. under the Chairman and armed to the teeth moved in and checked over the xombions and dragged the S.C.Ms. out from under them. Fury medics checked over Gibbs, Kovers, and the others as Lieutenant Matthews, Lieutenant Simms, and Sergeant Helen Thor gathered around Creed.

Puck! What's going on? Matthews questioned. We're gone a few hours and come back and all Hades has broken loose!

According to reports, Simms started. An infection called the Chimera Strain or Outbreak-CS has reached Outbreak Class, and a Quarantine Seal was set in place and failed. The Head of Security has started a countdown to an Integral Quarantine Seal.

Thor questioned, What about the Chairman? Is he safe?

Last reports have him and his Security Detail heading for the Main Lobby. Simms made some calculations and said, He should already be in the Lobby if the group didn't run into any problems.

We should go meet him, Creed spoke, looked over the infected as the Furies made sure with a bullet here and a bullet there that the xombions were dead, and then he ordered, Matthews, stay here and organize cleanup. Simms and Thor you're with me. The three Furies headed for the Third Branch Office's entrance.

Contagion Class: ranking based on the severity of a contagion

*Patient Zero Class- patient zero has been established and contagion identified

*Infection Class- infection of others has occurred

*Outbreak Class- the contagion is spreading with a least a hundred cases

*Eleventh Hour Class- contagion has spread through more than half of the population of a given area

*Doomsday Class- containment of contagion deemed unattainable and drastic measures are put in place for eradication of contagion

CHIMERA STRAIN REPORT:

4:55 A.M.

527 evacuated out of the building. Infected- 1392. About .0537% of the 25,921 present on the grounds and in the building of the Third Branch Office. When a new day breaks there are still xombions to take. When the sun never shines there are still undead who want to dine. Who will win when everything is at an end?

What can I say? Poetry was never my thing.

Chapter Two

Heartache Turns To...

Orthos Security Brief-

Earlier...

4:57 A.M.

The evacuation is proceeding as planned. There's one hour and twenty-seven minutes left before the Integral Quarantine Seal is initiated. The Glass Cage Protocol has been essential to the success we have had in the evacuations. Considering the Outbreak Class the contagion has entered, we're doing well.

-End of Brief.

*Orthos Personal Log-

5:04 A.M.

My loyal S.C.Ms. are in place. Once the evacuation is done, I'll begin my coup at 6:24 A.M. The time the Seal is supposed to be set in place. By then all personnel will be out of the building but those working for me. Outbreak-CS could not have been a better distraction for the Chairman if I had designed it myself.

-End of Log.*

5:57 A.M...

Behind Sentry Post Prime of the Main Lobby...

Hurriedly but in an orderly fashion, groups of people exited Staircase AAA, moved through a short hall, rounded a corner, and entered the Main Lobby. The employees were exhausted from hurrying down the stairs of the main levels. Security Personnel herded the employees toward the front doors and outside to waiting doctors and nurses. Most of the workers looked confused, not sure why Orthos evacuated the building. Blood splatter covered a few of them; some of it was their own blood and some belonged to others. S.C.Ms. kept an eye on the employees while they were in AAA's stairwell and until they left; and once they reached Level 370, Security Officers and sentries watched them till they exited the front. Deputy Longmeadow ran the evacuation point from the stairwell to the front doors. The noise of the crowd filled the area.

Jane Speer exited the stairs along with her secretary, Amy as a S.C.M. escorted them. Both women wept, and Jane could barely walk. She was overwhelmed by her emotions, so Amy had her arm around her, steadying her employer. A great deal had happened, and the day had only started. Both women had witnessed co-workers change into xombions and turn their ravenous cravings for blood on others. They had seen the monstrous hybrid-xombions, and they had witnessed the Chairman's daughter gun down several infected. They had seen a great deal of horror, and they couldn't get it out of their heads. The S.C.M. escorting them ushered them out of the line evacuating the building and into the Main Conference Room that was located past the Post and on the north wall.

MayDae and D-Lay left the stairwell next as she wiped her eyes, trying to hide the fact she had been crying. D-Lay stayed behind her the entire time down the steps from Level 199. Neither of them had said a word, traumatized by what they experienced. The crowd leaving the stairs lessened to only a few and soon less than a dozen employees were standing in the Main Lobby.

In the waiting area of the Main Lobby, Stephanie watched the hundreds of people who evacuated through the lobby. She sat on the couch where her sister had left her several hours before. She could care less about the people and the contagion. Where was Ms. Griffin? Where was her sister? She scanned the crowds and became worried when people stopped leaving the stairs. And what was taking her so long?

Heartache turns to...

Several minutes later, four men left the stairs; they surrounded Kim and almost seemed to be dragging her. Two of the men were Streak and Barefoot, and they released her once they stepped out and reached the safety of the lobby. Streak hurried over and joined MayDae and D-Lay. Barefoot lingered by Kim, searching for the right words to say. He wanted to say something that would help ease her pain, but nothing came to mind. Feeling incapable of helping her, Barefoot slowly walked away and joined the other BK-Ms, and then a Security Officer ushered the four of them outside.

Let go of me! Kim screamed as she jerked her arms free of the S.C.Ms. who still held on to her. Let me go, she sobbed.

The S.C.Ms. released her and stepped back. They didn't say anything. They didn't know what to say. The S.C.Ms. returned to Staircase AAA and went back on their patrol.

Kim went and leaned on a wall with one hand as she muttered, Why didn't you let me... All she could think about the whole way down from level 199 was Kat. They had left her behind. Tears streamed down her face as she pounded her fist on the wall and she screamed, Why didn't you let me save her?! Two facets of her personality wrestled with one another; Kim shouldn't feel this way, but she did. Hades! She was a Life Closer. She had been trained to care for no one, so why? Why did it break her heart to see Kat suffer and to see her turn into one of those things? She put her hands to her face to hide her shame. Why did she keep seeing flashes of her? She saw the awkward hug when Kim first told her they were sisters, and the day she painted her fingernails. Hades! She could also see them sitting at the kitchen table drinking tea. For Ares' sake! What was wrong with her?! Kim dropped her hands, raised her head, and stared at the ceiling. She had known Kat less than a month, yet it felt like she had known her forever. She wiped her eyes. Hades! Kim was a mess, and she hated it. She dropped her gaze to the floor. No. Kim made a fist again. She hated her! She hated Kat for making her feel this way! She hit the wall again with her fist. How could she sacrifice herself like that?! Her and her noble way of thinking; she was selfish! Idiot! Why did she leave her behind? Kim needed her; she was supposed to help her find her mother's murderer, but all she did was leave her feeling empty inside. Hades... She hated her! She hated her... A woman's voice distracted Kim from her thoughts.

There you are! Somewhat happy to see her, Stephanie rushed over to her older sister. Actually it was more relief that she didn't